POLL: Should shops be banned from opening Boxing Day?

Scoffing leftovers with loved ones in front of a roaring fire, or hitting the High Street in search of post-Christmas bargains- what will you be up to this Boxing Day?

An online petition to ban shops opening on Boxing Day is well on the way to reaching 200,000 signatures.

Ian Lapworth who created the petition writes: “Shops, especially supermarkets, do not need to open on Boxing Day. Whilst not everyone may see Christmas as a religious holiday, it should be respected as such, and retail workers (who work so hard on the run up to the big day) given some decent family time to relax and enjoy the festivities like everyone else.

“Most retail workers are on the go up to Christmas Eve, then back on Boxing Day. Sometimes they have no choice. We managed 30 and 40 years ago... when shops were sometimes shut for a whole week. Let’s get back to the way it was. Forget making money for one day, let’s concentrate on making more memories with the ones we love.”